A teacher would like some help!

[Dleavitt]

I am currently a student teacher at a public high school, and I will have the opportunity this week to teach about the Second Amendment. While I am certainly capable of planning a lesson, I thought I would seek the wisdom of the forum for further suggestions regarding:

-Resources. Know any good high school appropriate videos that I could show in class? Other resources?

-Approach. I want to impart knowledge without becoming preachy (which would likely get me in trouble with parents and administration). Should I focus on the history and intent behind it (play it safe), or focus more on current issues (more interesting, but more risky)? What about CCW? What has worked best in your experience?

Thanks in advance for your help. I will be checking on this later, but right now I need to finish my Work Sample!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ArkhmAsylm]

I would think that you may want to cover the Bill of Rights as a whole, so as not to appear that your intent was to only teach about the Second Amendment.

Good luck on your commendable endeavor!

[zacii]

Don't forget to bring your .50 BMG for show-and-tell!

[archer51]

I'd start with the historic view and intent behind it, and then move into current issues surrounding it. For the current views I'd focus on DC vs. Heller and McDonald vs. Chicago, Supreme Court decisions. I's stay away from the concealed carry aspect, since in theory it is completely separate and not directly related to the 2A.

[rammerjammer]

Avoid the topic. As a former public school teacher I know this will not end well for you. Wait til the bureaucracy gets their hands on you. I was that history teacher who'd cover controversial topics and I'd end up in the principals office too often.

[onacoma]

While we all propound our 2nd amendment rights daily, you may wish to start with the Federalist Papers which discusses the founding father reasoning in adopting our Constitution for our Republic. Authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.

If time is short, the Bill of Rights in total is another welcome thought as mentioned by a previous post.

[stanislaskasava]

I think you should cover the history and intent of the 2A, along with its application (and the whole BoR) to the states via the 14th amendment. The Heller opinion would be nice, too.

Here is a link to the exact page of The Congressional Globe which quotes John Bingham (principal framer of the 14th Amendment) speaking in Congress, less than 2 years after the 14A's ratification, about its purpose and intent to apply the Bill of Rights to all the states.

Since you are a member here, I assume you have a CHL. I would avoid the subject altogether, knowing what happens to teachers in Oregon who have CHLs.

[Dleavitt]

Just a bit of clarification: this lesson is a part of a whole unit on the Bill of Rights. Last week we spent a day and a half on the First Amendment, and I will be teaching the Second and Third Amendments on the same day.

I was figuring that I'd avoid the CCW aspect, but it was nice to get some affirmation on that point. I'll need to work on deflection tactics, as I am almost certain it will come up. The kids like controversial issues (a couple are surprisingly political already as sophomores), so it will take a little doing. Thanks for the input so far. Keep it coming!

[tkruf]

I'm most likely not qualified to answer this question, but to play it safe, I would say steer clear of discussion about CCW and just stick with the facts about the 2nd Amendment itself as written, maybe the cases of DC vs. Heller and McDonald vs. Chicago, and the Supreme Court decisions. If the kids bring up CCW, then the ball is in your court. You can play it risky and discuss, or you can play it safe and just advise them that that is not the issue up for discussion at this time and you won't be getting into that.

[tangoseal]

Avoid the topic. As a former public school teacher I know this will not end well for you. Wait til the bureaucracy gets their hands on you. I was that history teacher who'd cover controversial topics and I'd end up in the principals office too often.

And this is why our country is falling apart starting with the youth, because teachers are afraid to teach what MATTERS. But alas its your choice, and your respected recommendation.

[greenchicken]

Man you are really rocking the boat here, Can't you talk about normal Government school stuff like same sex marriage or transgender equality or something like that? Geez....

[StevePVB]

Can you "steal" some stats form Gary Kleck (FSU)? He is a life-long Democrat, but is honest in present his findings.

[gruntingfrog]

One thing that I think it's important to point out is what type of rule the founding fathers were coming from. People forget about the historical context of the 2A and focus on the literal words.

For example, the concept of a militia was distinct from that of a standing army and was actually intended to be a protection from a standing army. The founders had witnessed the local militias in England being disbanded and disarmed so the standing British army would be able to control the populace without any interference. It is the people that were to bear arms under 2A, not the government so the argument that they were talking about an army isn't accurate.

The free state that is mentioned in the 2A was in contrast to a tyrannical state. The stress is on the word "free" not the word "state." They weren't attempting to protect the state from outside invasion. Instead, the militia was considered a protection from the government itself. They were extremely worried about seeing the U.S. quickly returning to tyrannical rule if the populace was disarmed.

[chiefjason]

Some good quotes to work with here. Particularly James Madison's, since he penned it.

Quotes* See the Founding Fathers quotes on gun rights and freedom.

"A people armed and free forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition and is a bulwark for
the nation against foreign invasion and domestic oppression."
James Madison (1751-1836), Father of the Constitution for the USA, 4th US President

My hat's off to you for taking this on! It's much needed these days.


To add to Gruntingfrog. The "free state" was literally the state's themselves. And the thought that Armed citizens of the state could defend themselves against an out of control federal Government.


"Suppose that we let a regular army, fully equal to the resources of the country, be formed; and let it be entirely at the devotion of the federal: still it would not be going to far to say that the State governments with the people at their side would be able to repel the danger...half a million citizens with arms in their hands"
James Madison, The Federalist Papers

[FrankWSweet]

I am currently a student teacher at a public high school, and I will have the opportunity this week to teach about the Second Amendment. While I am certainly capable of planning a lesson, I thought I would seek the wisdom of the forum for further suggestions regarding:

-Resources. Know any good high school appropriate videos that I could show in class? Other resources?

-Approach. I want to impart knowledge without becoming preachy (which would likely get me in trouble with parents and administration). Should I focus on the history and intent behind it (play it safe), or focus more on current issues (more interesting, but more risky)? What about CCW? What has worked best in your experience?

Thanks in advance for your help. I will be checking on this later, but right now I need to finish my Work Sample!

Depending on your students' demographics and your own interests ("race" relations is my field of research), you might want to watch the following two-part video, titled "No Guns For Negroes":
Part 1.
Part 2.
It explains the Jim-Crow-era origin of anti-gun legislation and "may issue" policies. In addition to giving you some background, parts of the film would be appropriate and of interest to high-schoolers. If the topic sparks your interest, I would be glad to recommend some peer-reviewed journal articles covering the same racialist origins of modern "gun-control" statutes.